A developer donated cash to the Democrat Party machine in Baltimore and after his project won approval from City Hall, he submitted a bill to the municipal government requesting that the City Council refund his campaign donations, citing it as so-called "project costs."

The Baltimore Sun reports that, "Baltimore officials approved a $3.4 million deal Wednesday to sell a Fells Point pier for development of a luxury hotel after chiding a developer for trying to include campaign contributions to local politicians as part of the project's costs."

Apparently, the developer, J. Joseph Clark, has a wiife, Mary Pat Clarke, who is a City Councilwoman of Baltimore.

According to the Baltimore Sun, "Recreation Pier Developers listed contributions to City Councilman James B. Kraft and Del. Peter A. Hammen as part of the more than $3 million it has spent on the project, including the $2 million purchase of the Recreational Pier on Thames Street from the city in 2010."

After the Baltimore Sun exposed such malfeasance, the developer claimed he was unaware of citing campaign contributions as "project costs."